Oslo Parent Guide

Often portrayed as a life of glamor, espionage and intrigue, diplomacy is a real world endeavor that relies on personal relationships, accurate information, and tenacious effort. Sometimes, however, it requires innovation, and even risk. In Oslo, desperate diplomats roll the dice and try an unorthodox approach to ending the interminable Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The movie begins in 1993 with Mona Juul (Ruth Wilson), a senior Norwegian diplomat haunted by witnessing violence on the streets of Gaza up close. Along with her husband, Terje Rød-Larsen (Andrew Scott), she cajoles Ahmed Qurie (Salim Dau), a high ranking member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to meet for unconventional peace talks with a professor speaking on behalf of Yossi Beilin (Itzik Cohen), Deputy Foreign Minister of Israel.

The meetings are not just unconventional; they are also unofficial, cloaked in secrecy, and under the radar of any official diplomatic organization. They are hosted by the Fafo Institute, a think tank co-founded by Rød-Larsen. He’s convinced that traditional peace talks, with their rigid agendas, public discussions, and broad stakeholder participation are doomed to failure. Only in complete privacy, he believes, can Israeli and Palestinian negotiators see each other as human, learn to trust one another, and try to resolve their differences.

Luckily, Juul and Rød-Larsen are able to coax a few officials of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to offer a modicum of support and persuade a wealthy friend to offer the use of a palatial manor for the talks. As Qurie and Israeli professor Yair Hirschfeld (Doval’e Glickman) begin their discussions, it becomes apparent that decades of animosity don’t simply disappear over a few friendly chats and homemade waffles.

Oslo is exactly the kind of film it appears to be. It’s a serious, dialogue-heavy, historical production that gives brief glimpses into the characters of significant people. The writing is crisp and credible and the lines are well delivered. Salim Dau is the movie’s standout as Ahmed Qurie, bringing an emotional depth to the character, and the rest of the cast are also solid. The weakest performance in the movie is from Geraldine Alexander, who plays the cook and housekeeper. Although her meals play a surprisingly important role in bringing the negotiators together, her character is so badly stereotyped that she could be a doll from Disneyland’s Small World ride. With the golden braids, cheerful bobbing head, and slight accent, she seems to come out of a character dispenser entitled “Scandinavian Woman #4”.

Also problematic is the film’s negative content, including historical violence and social drinking that is occasionally carried to excess. Were this a theatrical release instead of a streaming one, it would be R-rated for its three dozen profanities, a third of which are sexual expletives.

Thankfully, Oslo comes with powerful messages about recognizing the shared humanity of all people, even one’s opponents. The film’s most profoundly moving moments are those in which the Israelis and Palestinians are able to truly see each other as men with lives and families and memories that matter and deserve respect. Other themes include the value of peace and the need to do whatever it takes to achieve it. Along those lines are messages about compromise, cooperation, tolerance, and humility.

After the eleven days of conflict between Israel and the Palestinian territory of Gaza that have taken place this month, a movie focusing on a past peace treaty between these antagonists is certainly timely. Here’s hoping it’s also a pathway to future efforts at peace.